Category: humanity

The Quiet Lives of Old Photographs

The photographs of my life huddle together in the darkness, secure in a bedroom cabinet. They now lead quiet lives, disturbed only occasionally. They once brought only pleasure to me and upon inspection, wonder. Now going through them brings a quotient of sadness too. The scale began to tip about 10 or 15 years ago. … Continue reading The Quiet Lives of Old Photographs →

Cheating Death Again

Many many years ago as I flew home from college in a small propeller plane, I sat in the bar area in the tail of the aircraft next to 1950's celebrity Tab Hunter. He told me that he has to fly a lot and each time he lands he announces to himself, "Cheated death again!" … Continue reading Cheating Death Again →

It’s Almost Like Being in Love

When I'm in Japan, people seem nicer, the landscape more beautiful, the mundane more interesting. The giggling groups of young women enjoying each other's company help me to appreciate how fleeting youth is.  The laughs I share with new friends are more frequent. The reds are redder, the golds more golden. Respect for and tolerance … Continue reading It’s Almost Like Being in Love →

I am SO Sorry.

(Note to readers:  The reality I witnessed when visiting Hiroshima today was harsh.  My reflections are harsh as well. It is not my intention to offend, rather to awaken.) There's no way to put a soft gel on the results of dropping a nuclear bomb on a crowded civilian population. My mind instantly rejected any … Continue reading I am SO Sorry. →

Less than Two Miles in 4.5 Hours

When Danny suggested that we walk to an antique store we like to visit here on the opposite side of town, it seemed like a fine idea.  The weather was mild, the mid-November sun warm and inviting.  And we both could use the excercise. Taking an A to B walk in Kyoto is hypothetically an … Continue reading Less than Two Miles in 4.5 Hours →